So there we were... 1500 ft in the hole

They suited us up in slickers, hardhats, battery packs and lamps. Then we straddled a mini train car, to take us down the narrow tunnels deep into the mine, or "the hole", as our guide called it. He should know, being a 3rd generation miner, who spent 31 years working underground.

The site is Bisbee, in southern Arizona, and we’re at the old Queen Mine -- no longer active, except for tours. Bisbee was a huge mining center, primarily for copper, but they also got silver, gold, turquoise, and various other minerals. There are 2300 miles of tunnels criss-crossing, level over level under the hillsides. Over the life of the mines (about a century), they produced over 8 billion pounds of copper. Billion! That’s a lot of ore.

The tour got off to an exciting start when the train derailed before most of us even got into the tunnel. It seems like these guys are used to it though, and they were able to quickly lever the cars back onto the tracks. We were just happy the derailment happened outside, rather than far underground!

Then it was a jerky ride deep into the mine, with occasional stops where the guide would point things out to us, and talk about what mining work was like -- both in the old days and now.

The saddest thing was the mules, that used to pull carts of ore from the depths of the mine. The mules were kept in the mine for 12-15 years, and not allowed to see the light of day. The thinking then was that if you let them out, they wouldn’t want to go back. (And who could blame them?) So there were stables underground, and these poor mules lived in the chilly darkness most of their lives. Many went blind, and only after they couldn’t work any more were they allowed out.

Fortunately, today’s mining practices are a lot more humane, safety conscious, and environmental than back then. But it’s a job I’m sure glad I don’t have to do. An hour in the mine was enough for me!

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If you’re ever in Bisbee, consider the Queen Mine tour a must-see. And dress warm! The mine was a cool 47 degrees, so shorts and sandals = shivering in the hole.
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